Oil-saver.



(Application filed Mar. 16, 1901.}

(No Model.)

WITNESSES.

INVENTORJ. cwd;

UNTTEU S'ra'rss PATENT @rrrnn.

chant: r. RIGBY, or MANNINGTON, WESTVIRGINIA.

sin-saves.

SPECIFICATION forming; part of Letters Patent No. 6963M, datedflpril 1,1902..

Application filed March 16, 1901. Serial No. 51,511. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARK F. RIGB Y, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mannington, in the county of Marion and State of WestVirginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oil-Savers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for saving oil which may begin to flowfrom a well bere fore the drilling'has been completed.

Oil-savers as now constructed consist in part of a tube or barrelthrough which the drilling-cable works, the tube extending through astuffing-box carried by the casingr5 head. As soon as oil begins to flowthe cable is secured by packing or by other means to the tube or barrel,causing the latter to reciprocate with the cable and preventing theescape of oil. The tube is objectionable for so the reason that the rcable must be cut in order to'applyor remove the saver and for thefurther reason thatit adds cost and weight to the appliance.

The primary object of the present invention is to dispense with the tubeor barrel and to provide a saver which may be applied to or removed froma cable without manipulation of the latter.

The invention consists in the novel strucge tural features andcombination of parts here inafter fully described and claimed, andillustrated by the accompanying drawin gs, where- 1n-- Figure 1 is aview, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of myimprovement in operative position on a casing-head. Fig. 2 is a planview ofthe same with the compression-screw removed. Figs. 3 and i aredetail views of the screw. Fig. 5 is a similar 0 view of one of thepacking-rings, while Fig.

is confined in the head 3 by screws 6, is made in two like parts, havingapertured flanges 7 at the top to receive securing-bolts S. Thistwo-part cap is centrally apertured to pass the drilling-cable 9, andthis aperture is coun- '5o tersunk at 10 to form a seat 11 for thetwopart steel bushing 12. Adapted to rest on this bushing ar'ethe splitrubber washers 13, two

or more of which may he used, countersunk depression 10 being ofsufiicient length to receive the washers or rings. Above said depressionthe rope or cable passage is threaded at 1-1 to receive the lowerthreaded portion 15 of the vertically-divided screw 16, formed withoperating-handles l'l'.

To position the oil-saver, the two-part cap 5 is first'secured inposition in the casinghead and its parts united by bolts 8.. The

two-part bushing 12 is then dropped to position on seat 11 and the splitrubber-rings are sprung onto the cable and forced into the capdepression immediately over said bushing. The two-part screw 16 is thenput together around the cable, dowel-pins 18 holding the parts in properrelation, and screwed into threaded aperture 14 of the cap. Normally thecable reciprocates freely through the bushing, the rubber rings, and thescrew-head. When, however, it is desired to prevent the flow of oil, thescrew is run down onto the rubber rings, expanding them transversely bythe vertical pressure and causing them to fill countersunk depression 10and close tightly around the cable, so that while the latterreciprocates therethrough oil is prevented from flowing out around thecable. The oil forms a lubricant and prevents wearing of the rings.

When the oil-saver is placed in position on the casing-head before theflow begins, screw 16 is relaxed, so that the cable reciprocatestherethrough unimpeded, the steel bushing saving the parts above fromwear. The operation of drilling may proceed, however, up to the time theflow begins without attaching the saver, as the latter, being insections, may be quickly placed in position. 1

While my improvement is designed with special reference to therequirements attending the use of wire drilling-cables, it may be usedwith equally good results on the Manila cables.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination of avertically-divided casing-closure .formed with a vertical passagecontracted below its upper end to form a packing-abutment, and avertically-divided packing-compressing device vertically ad- .tls

justable in the upper portion of the closurepassage, said device beingformed with a cableway, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of a vertically-divided casing-closu re having acentral cable-passage,

said passage being contracted at its lower end and threaded at its upperend, compressible material surrounding the cable immediately above thecontracted lower portion of said cable-passage, and a vertically-dividedscrew operative in the threaded upper end of the passage for compressingsaid material and expandingit laterally, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. The combination of a casing-head, the vertically divided casing-caphaving a cablepassage, said passage being threaded at its to expandlaterally,

upper'end, a vertically-divided bushing in the lower end of the passage,compressible material surrounding the cable and resting on the bushing,and the vertically-divided and vertically apertured screw operative inthe threaded upper portion of the cable-passage for compressing saidmaterial and causing it substantially as shown and described.

In'testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CLARK F. RIGBY.

Witnesses:

JAMES M. TETRIC'K, HERsoHEL H. RAY.

